JP2005350232A - Picking system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picking system capable of throwing a commodity into a corresponding delivery container. <P>SOLUTION: This picking system for transferring a commodity inside a collecting container B, which temporarily houses the commodity, to a delivery container C is provided with a first recording medium T provided in the collecting container B to record first discriminating information possible to be written and read without contact, a second recording medium L provided in the delivery container C to record second discriminating information, a writing means 14 for writing the discriminating information in the first recording medium T, a first reading means 15 for reading the first discriminating information of the first recording medium T, a second reading means 17 for reading the second discriminating information of the second recording means T without contact, a discriminating means for discriminating whether the commodity inside the collecting container B should be thrown into the delivery container C or not by collating the two discriminating information read by the two reading means 15 and 17 with each other, and an output means 18 for performing the predetermined output on the basis of a result of the discrimination by the discriminating means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a picking system that temporarily stores a designated product among products in a product shelf in a collection container and then transfers the product in the collection container to a shipping container for shipping.

  When shipping a product from a collection center or the like, a picking operation is generally performed in which a product designated by a user is picked directly into a shipping container (container). In such a picking system, merchandise shelves are arranged along a conveyor that conveys shipping containers, and an operator (picker) is arranged for each zone. Then, the picker in each zone looks at the order list, picks the product from a predetermined product shelf, and sequentially inserts the product corresponding to the shipping container being conveyed.

  However, when the shipping destination is a supermarket or the like, there are a wide variety of consumer needs, and there are some products that require a small number of products and a high frequency of picking, and some products that have a wide variety of products and a low frequency of picking. When there are many types of products and picking is infrequent, many products must be picked and input as the shipping container arrives, even though there is a gap in the shipping operation to the shipping container. Since a quick operation is required, a mistake in picking a product is likely to occur. In addition, there is a problem that waiting time occurs depending on arrival of the shipping container and work efficiency is lowered.

Therefore, for products with a low shipping rate, products are not put into the shipping container and picked from the product shelf at the same time (the products picked from the product shelf are not put into the shipping container on the spot). After picking a plurality of products designated corresponding to the container identification number from the product shelf in advance, once the product is placed on a temporary table for each identification number, the corresponding shipping container has been transported In some cases, a picking method is used in which a product on a temporary table is put into a shipping container (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 2916569 (FIG. 1)

  However, in the picking system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the loading operator visually checks whether the identification number of the shipping container being conveyed matches the identification number displayed corresponding to the product placed on the temporary table. There is a risk of putting the product into the wrong shipping container.

  Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a picking system that can inject products corresponding to individual shipping containers without error.

  In order to achieve the above object, a picking system according to the present invention is a picking system for transferring a product in a collection container for temporarily storing a product to a shipping container for shipping. A first recording medium that is provided in the product container and records first identification information that can be written and read in a non-contact manner; a second recording medium that is provided in the shipping container and in which the second identification information is recorded; A writing unit for writing the identification information on the first recording medium; a first reading unit for reading the first identification information of the first recording medium; and a second unit for reading the second identification information of the second recording medium in a non-contact manner. 2 reading means, a determining means for checking whether or not the goods in the collection container should be put into the shipping container by collating two pieces of identification information read by the two reading means, and a determination by the determining means Based on results There are characterized by comprising an output unit for performing a predetermined output.

According to the present invention, the first reading means reads the first identification information from the first recording medium of the collection container, while the second reading means reads the second identification information from the second recording medium of the shipping container. When the first and second identification information is input, the determination means determines whether or not the product in the collection container should be put into the shipping container by comparing the two pieces of information, and the result is output from the output means. Output. In this way, since the determination is performed electronically rather than by the operator, there is no possibility of erroneous product input.
Since the first recording medium is read and written in a non-contact manner, it is possible to save troubles such as labeling.

  In the present invention, the first recording medium is preferably a non-contact data carrier.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the collection container is provided with an electronic label for displaying visually readable numbers and / or characters, and communication means for transmitting the first identification information to the electronic label in a non-contact manner. Further, it may be provided.
By using such an electronic label, the input person can input the product while checking whether there is an error in the relationship between the collection container to be input and the shipping container.

Further, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, when collecting goods in the collection container, a stationary collection indicator for displaying the first identification information about the collection is further provided. May be.
Thus, picking work is facilitated by displaying the first identification information on the stationary collection display. In addition, the picker can visually check the collection indicator and the electronic label, which is useful for preventing errors in the picking operation.

  In the present invention, if an inspection means is further provided, shipment of a product group picked in error can be prevented.

  In addition, by clearing the first identification information of the first recording medium after the detection, there is less risk of a verification error.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, the picking system temporarily collects one or a plurality of products in a product shelf 40 in a collection basket (an example of a collection container) B in advance, and then a predetermined shipping container (an example of a shipping container). Transfer to C (ship) and ship. The transfer from the collection basket B to the shipping container C is performed when the shipping container C corresponding to the collection basket B reaches the loading position 44p of the shipping conveyor 44. At the loading position 44p, the shipping container C is transferred. If it is not necessary to load the product into the container, the transfer operation at the loading position 44p is not performed, and the shipping container C is transported downstream through the loading position 44p.

First, the layout will be described.
In this system, one or more merchandise shelves 40 and a shipping conveyor 44 are provided, and an input table 41, a buffer conveyor 42, and an inspection table 43 are disposed therebetween. A picker (picking operator) P1 is disposed in the vicinity of the product shelf 40, while a thrower P2 is disposed in the vicinity of the inspection table 43. The picker P1 collects predetermined products in the collection basket B and places them on the buffer conveyor 42. The thrower P2 places the collection basket B on the buffer conveyor 42 on the inspection table 43 to perform the inspection work, and transfers the products in the collection basket B after the inspection to a predetermined shipping container C.

  In the product shelf 40, products are stored for each shelf, and the location, the number of stocks, and the like of the products stored in each shelf are managed by the computer 1 (FIG. 2). The product shelf 40 is provided with a number indicator 10 for indicating the number of picking for each shelf (frontage). As shown in FIG. 2, a zone lamp 11 and a picking completion switch 12 for confirming the completion of picking are connected to the computer 1 in addition to the number indicator 10. The computer 1 and other electronic devices are connected via a predetermined interface.

  A stationary collection indicator 13 is provided at a position where the picker P1 of FIG. On the collection display 13, the bag No. (an example of first identification information) of the collection bag B for collecting the next product is displayed by a command from the computer 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, an ID tag (an example of a first recording medium) T is fixed to the bottom surface of the collection basket B, and an electronic label 3 is fixed to the side surface. The ID tag T can store the 籠 No., while the electronic label 3 displays the 籠 No. as a visually readable number and / or character.

  A barcode label (an example of a second recording medium) L is affixed to the shipping container C in FIG. On the bar code label L, a bar code corresponding to the container number (an example of the second identification information) of the shipping container C is printed and displayed.

  Each bag No. is a unique No., but is matched (corresponds) with the container No. of the container into which the product is loaded for each bag No .. That is, in this embodiment, the same identification number as the container number is assigned to the 籠 No., but in order to make the contents easy to understand, the identification information attached to the collection 籠 B is called 籠 No. On the other hand, the identification information attached to the shipping container C is referred to as a container number.

An antenna 14a of a first tag reader / writer (an example of writing means) 14 (FIG. 4) is embedded in the input table 41, and a transceiver (an example of communication means) 2 is provided. The first tag reader / writer 14 (FIG. 4) stores the bag No. displayed on the collection display 13 in the ID tag T of the collection bag B placed on the input table 41. On the other hand, the transceiver 2 stores and displays the bag number on the electronic label 3 of the collection bag B.
The details of the ID tag T and the electronic label 3 will be described later.

  The buffer conveyor 42 temporarily stores (waits) a collection basket B that stores collected products. The buffer conveyor 42 is composed of, for example, a free roller conveyor, and the inspection table 43 is connected downstream of the buffer conveyor 42.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inspection table 43 includes an antenna 15a (FIG. 1) of a second tag reader / writer (an example of first reading means and writing means) 15 for reading and erasing the bag No. Is embedded, and the inspection table 43 is supported by a load cell of the weighing means 16 for inspecting products in the collection basket B.

Here, an example of a method for inspecting a product will be briefly described.
The computer 1 includes inspection means 1b and a memory 1c. As shown in FIGS. 3 (b) and 3 (c), the memory 1c stores the type of product and the number of products collected for each bag number, and the weight for each product is stored in the product master. Has been. The inspection means 1b calculates the weight of the product group for each bag number based on the type, number, and product weight of the product. On the other hand, a weighing signal is output from the weighing means 16 (FIG. 2) to the computer 1, and the computer 1 tares the measured weight to obtain the measured weight of the product. The computer 1 determines that there is no error in the picked product when the weighed weight of the product matches or approximates the calculated weight. On the other hand, the computer 1 determines that there is an error in the picked product. 1 and an output corresponding to these determinations is made by the input indicator 18 of FIG.

Next, the first and second tag reader / writers 14 and 15 and the ID tag T used in this embodiment will be briefly described.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the antenna controller 100 provided in the controller boxes 14b and 15b of the reader / writers 14 and 15 reads information (籠 No.) recorded in the ID tag T at a constant cycle. A command is transmitted to the oscillation circuit 101. When the ID tag T is present in a predetermined area, the control circuit 110 of the ID tag T causes the EEPROM 111 to be generated by electromagnetic induction between the transmission coil L1 of the antennas 14a and 15a and the transmission / reception coil L3 of the ID tag T. Read the information inside. The control circuit 110 of the ID tag T outputs reverberation corresponding to the information to the transmission / reception coil L3. On the other hand, when the reverberation is received by the reception circuit 102 due to electromagnetic induction between the transmission / reception coil L3 and the reception coil L2 of the antennas 14a and 15a, the received reverberation is demodulated by the demodulation circuit 103, and the antenna It is output to the controller 100. The antenna controller 100 outputs the demodulated information to the computer 1.

  When information (reception number, reception date / time) is recorded in the ID tag T, information that the antenna controller 100 records in the ID tag T and a command that causes the ID tag T to record the information are transmitted. The information and command are transmitted by an electromagnetic induction effect generated between the transmission coil L1 and the transmission / reception coil L3, and the control circuit 110 of the ID tag T records the information in the EEPROM 111.

  Such an electromagnetic induction type ID tag T, antennas 14a and 15a and controller boxes 14b and 15b are disclosed, for example, in paragraphs [0013] to [0014] of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-75879. A V700 series manufactured by KK can be used.

Next, the electronic label 3 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the transceiver 2 is an infrared (wireless) communication device that has both a function of transmitting to the electronic label 3 and a function of receiving a feedback signal from the electronic label 3. The transceiver 2 transmits the bag number and the like stored in the transmission content storage unit of the computer 1 to the electronic label 3 using infrared rays, and receives a feedback signal from the electronic label 3 and transmits it to the computer 1.

  The electronic label 3 can adopt the structure of a well-known electronic shelf label (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-287798, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-51267, etc.), for example, an infrared transmitter 31 that communicates with the transceiver 2; Along with the infrared receiver 32 and the infrared transmitter / receiver circuit 30, a CPU 33, a memory 34, a bag display 35, a battery 39, and the like are provided. Each device of the electronic label 3 is operated by electric power supplied from the battery 39.

  The bag display 35 displays the bag number. The eaves indicator 35 is a liquid crystal display that can maintain a bistable state in which the transmittance is different when no voltage is applied, and is stable without applying a voltage between two states, a state in which light passes through the screen and a state in which light is reflected. For example, it is composed of a bistable device such as cholesteric liquid crystal or electronic paper.

  The radio waves from the transceiver 2 and the first tag reader / writer 14 are set so as to reach only the collection box B placed on the input table 41.

  In FIG. 1, a stationary bar code reader (an example of second reading means) 17 is provided at the loading position 44 p of the shipping conveyor 44. The barcode reader 17 reads and decodes the barcode label L of the shipping container C, and outputs the decoded container number to the computer 1 in FIG.

The computer 1 includes a determination unit 1a.
The memory 1c stores a container number to which a product is to be loaded at the loading position 44p, and the discrimination means 1a determines whether or not the shipping container C of the container number read by the barcode reader 17 should be stopped. First discriminate. If the product should be put in at the loading position 44p, the discriminating means 1a causes the stopper 19 to project and stops the shipping container C at the loading position 44p. On the other hand, if it should not be loaded, the stopper 19 does not project. The shipping container C is passed.
The discriminating means 1a determines whether or not the container number from the barcode reader 17 and the bag number read by the second tag reader / writer 15 from the collection bag B on the inspection table 43 match (if the verification For example, it is determined whether or not the product in the collection basket B should be put into the shipping container C. The discriminating means 1a displays a message corresponding to the input command on the input display (output means) 18 when the input is to be made.

Next, the operation of this system will be described.
First, the picking operation will be briefly described.

  When the computer 1 causes the collection indicator 13 in FIG. 1 to display 籠 No. (container No.) as an arithmetic number by a predetermined trigger, the picker P1 moves the empty collection 籠 B stacked on the floor. Any one of them is picked up and placed on the input table 41. When the writing switch 50 is pressed after placement, the same 籠 No. as that displayed on the collection display 13 by the first tag reader / writer 14 (FIG. 2) is stored in the ID tag T of the collection 籠 B, On the other hand, the bag No. is stored in the electronic label 3 of the collection bag B, and the bottle No. is displayed on the bag display 35 of the electronic label 3 with arithmetic numbers.

  On the other hand, as the write switch 50 is pressed, each product shelf 40 displays the number to be picked by the number display 10 on the shelf of the product to be picked. The picker P1 turns off the display of the number display 10 while collecting the displayed number of products on the collection bag B in which the basket number is recorded. When the picking of all the products for the collection basket B in one zone is completed, the zone lamp 11 is extinguished, and when all the zone lamps 11 are extinguished, the display on the collection indicator 13 blinks. The picker P1 presses the picking completion switch 12 in FIG. As a result, the collection indicator 13 is turned off, but when there is a next collection instruction, the next bag number (container number) is immediately displayed.

  When one picking is completed, the picker P1 places the collected basket B on the upstream portion of the buffer conveyor 42. By repeating these series of operations, the collected basket B is stored in the buffer conveyor 42.

Next, inspection and input work will be described.
The container number of the barcode label L of the shipping container C is read by the barcode reader 17 immediately before the shipping container C is transported on the shipping conveyor 44 and reaches the loading position 44p. The computer 1 stores the container number into which the product is to be input at the input position 44p. The computer 1 determines whether the product should be input based on the read container number, and inputs the product. If it should be, the stopper 19 is protruded to stop the shipping container C of the container No. at the input position 44p. On the other hand, if the product should not be input, the stopper is lowered to pass the shipping container C without stopping. .

  On the other hand, the thrower P2 transfers the collection basket B on the buffer conveyor 42 onto the inspection table 43. On the inspection table 43, the tag number of the ID tag T of the collection card B is read by the second tag reader / writer 15 (FIG. 2), and the container number of the shipping container C stopped at the loading position 44p. It is determined by the determining means 1a of the computer 1 whether or not the 籠 No. matches. On the other hand, the total weight of the products in the collection bag B is measured, and the inspection means 1b of the computer 1 checks whether or not the products corresponding to the bag No. are collected in the collection bag B. . When the bag No. and the container No. coincide with each other and the inspection is acceptable, a display indicating a loading command is displayed on the loading indicator 18.

  In accordance with the display on the input indicator 18, the input person P2 transfers the products in the collection basket B on the inspection table 43 into the shipping container C on the input position 44p. After the transfer, when the input person P2 places the collection bag B on the inspection table 43 again and presses the transfer completion button, the data of the ID tag T of the collection bag B is erased.

  As a result of the inspection, if the inspection means 1b of the computer 1 determines that the predetermined product is not stored in the collection basket B, a display indicating that there is an error in picking is displayed on the input indicator 18. Is done. On the other hand, as a result of the collation determination, if the bag No. of the collection bag B on the inspection table 43 does not match the container No. of the shipping container C at the loading position 44p, the number mismatch is displayed.

Thus, in this system, since it is electronically checked whether or not a predetermined product is collected in the collection basket B and whether or not the product in the collection basket B should be put into the shipping container C. , Picking and throwing errors can be prevented.
In addition, the workability is improved because the trouble of sticking the paper label to the collection basket B each time can be saved.

  Further, not only the discrimination by the computer 1 but also the thrower P2 can visually check the display 35 of the electronic label 3 of the collection bag B and the bar code label L of the shipping container C, thereby ensuring a mistake in loading. Can be prevented.

  In addition, since the information of the 籠 No. of the ID tag T of the collection 籠 B is deleted on the inspection table 43, the possibility of an error is further reduced.

  By the way, in the present invention, it is not always necessary to delete the information of the ID tag T of the collection basket B in the inspection table 43. On the other hand, a transceiver may be provided in the inspection table 43 separately from the transceiver 2 of the input table 41, and after the input, the data of the electronic label 3 of the collection basket B may be erased by the other transceiver.

  In the above-described embodiment, the inspection is performed at the time of loading. However, the weighing unit may be provided on the input table 41 and the inspection may be performed by placing a collection basket on the input table 41 at the end of picking. Further, it may be performed both at the end of picking and at the time of loading. Further, the inspection method may be different from the above-described method.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the bag No. for collating with the container No. is stored in a non-contact data carrier such as an ID tag. It may be a medium.
For example, a CCD camera that images the display 35 of the electronic label 3 of the collection 籠 B is provided on the inspection table 43, and an OCR that decodes the 籠 No. is provided from the image captured by the CCD camera. You may read. Alternatively, a bar code corresponding to 集 No. may be displayed on the electronic label 3 of the collection 籠 B in addition to visually readable numbers and / or letters in a dot format, and the dot-type barcode may be read. Good.

  The second recording medium provided in the shipping container C may be a means other than the barcode label as long as it can be read in a non-contact manner.

As described above, the preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand various changes and modifications within the obvious scope by looking at the present specification.
For example, instead of the loading indicator 18 or in addition to the loading indicator 18, the discrimination determination result or the inspection result may be output by voice to notify the thrower P2.
In the above embodiment, the computer 1 has many calculation / control functions for the sake of simplification of explanation. However, even if an inspector equipped with a microcomputer or the like is separately provided for distributed processing. Good.
Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be construed as within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

  The present invention can be applied to a picking system that transfers products collected in a collection container to a shipping container.

1 is a schematic layout diagram showing an embodiment of a picking system according to the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the system. (A) is a schematic perspective view of a collection basket, (b), (c) is a chart showing the contents stored in the memory. (A) is a schematic block diagram of a reader / writer, and (b) is a schematic block diagram of an electronic label or the like.

Explanation of symbols

13: Collection display 14: First tag reader / writer (writing means)
15: Second tag reader / writer (first reading means, writing means)
17: Bar code reader (second reading means)
18: Input indicator (output means)
1a: discrimination means 1b: inspection means 2: transceiver (communication means)
3: Electronic label B: Collection box (collection container)
C: Shipping container (shipping container)
T: ID tag (first recording medium, non-contact data carrier)
L: Bar code label (second recording medium)

Claims (6)

A picking system for transferring goods in a collection container for temporarily storing goods to a shipping container for shipping,
A first recording medium provided in the collection container, on which first identification information that can be written and read in a non-contact manner is recorded;
A second recording medium provided in the shipping container and having second identification information recorded thereon;
Writing means for writing the first identification information to the first recording medium;
First reading means for reading first identification information of the first recording medium;
Second reading means for reading the second identification information of the second recording medium in a non-contact manner;
A discriminating unit for collating two pieces of identification information read by the two reading units and discriminating whether or not the product in the collection container should be put into the shipping container;
A picking system comprising: output means for performing a predetermined output based on a determination result by the determination means.   The picking system according to claim 1, wherein the first recording medium is a non-contact data carrier. In Claim 1 or 2, the collection container is provided with an electronic label for displaying visually readable numbers and / or characters,
A picking system further comprising a communication means for transmitting the first identification information to the electronic label in a contactless manner.   4. The picking system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, further comprising a stationary collection indicator that displays the first identification information about the collection when collecting the commodity in the collection container.   5. The picking system according to claim 1, further comprising inspection means for inspecting whether or not a predetermined product is stored in the collection container.   6. The picking system according to claim 5, further comprising a writing unit that rewrites the first identification information of the first recording medium after the inspection.

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